Liverpool’s first council homes in 30 years set to go ahead

Liverpool City Council is set to approve plans to build its first council homes in more than 30 years.

A report, which goes before the council’s cabinet later this week (5 March), is seeking approving for a scheme to build 105 homes in Denford Road, Dovecot in partnership with developer Lovell and local registered provider Riverside.

The Denford Road scheme contains a mix of homes for affordable and social rent, and underlines the council’s commitment to providing a range of housing tenure options across current and future schemes.

Liverpool City Council is also working in partnership with Homes England and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to develop an outline planning application for Stonebridge Cross in Croxteth, and the Combined Authority recently approved £210,000 of pre-development funding to support the project.

A report at the same cabinet meeting is seeking approval to allow the city council to enter into funding agreements to progress pre-planning survey work in order to produce a masterplan for the site.

Liverpool City Council’s recently formed a strategic housing delivery team (SHDT) which will oversee the project and lead a comprehensive consultation with stakeholders and the local community.

Liverpool City Council is already working with Homes England and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority on the two-year long remediation of the development zone next to the city’s Festival Gardens.

A planning application for 1,500 ‘eco-friendly’ homes on this site is expected to be submitted in early 2023.

‘It will be a landmark moment for Liverpool City Council to green light its first house building scheme for 30 years – and crucially these plans realise our ambition to provide high quality housing,’ said cabinet member for housing, Cllr Barry Kushner.

‘As a council we are signing up to the Healthy Homes Act that guarantees energy efficient and lifetime homes and the properties at Denford Road will meet those standards.

‘We will make sure that we create jobs, apprentices and business opportunities for sub-contractors for local people, and are meeting with the Unite the Union and the building contractor to plan this.

‘A lot of work has been undertaken to scope out the housing needs of Liverpool in recent years, and the potential developments next to Festival Gardens and at Stonebridge Cross underline the council’s ambition to make a positive difference in our housing market.’

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